I have a RETEX-18 and believe I'm having the same issue. I finally found a replacement flow sensor online after a lot of digging, but I may just need to clean it up like you did. I didn't realize that turbine was in there and could be removed. Thanks! With how popular these tankless water heaters are getting, you'd think there'd be better info online for them!
I have the 18 as well, no error codes flat out no hot water one day. Changed both heating element last year, where did you find the flow senor part. I'm not getting proper voltage to the heating elements either which I'm assuming is because the flow sensor
An additional step you can take to check for this condition is turn on a hot water faucet and then pass a magnet over the sensor, back and forth if it comes on the impeller is stuck. Stop passing the magnet and it turns off. You may have to take the sensor loose because they are sensitive to either N or S pole of the magnet so try both poles of the magnet and the side of the sensor touching the brass fitting is the active side. Warning make sure you turn on a hot water faucet or you can burn up an element!!!!! I turned on 3 faucets in an attempt to get max water flow across the paddle wheel and it washed away the debris, a temporary fix. I'm putting a filter on the incoming water line.
So glad I found this video! I have the same unit and yesterday the flow reduced greatly and wouldn’t heat! Anyways I flushed out the hose and cleaned the screen and bam I have hot water again! And I learned something!
Thank you for doing this video. It explains two of the most important things that can go wrong with these types of units. The flow sensor can get dirty and it shows why, before connecting this up to run the water to make sure no debris can mess this up. Perhaps there should be a filter upstream of the unit, one you can replace the filter. Thanks again, great video.
@@carmenortiz41 Are you talking about the flow sensor? this is the flow sensor I mistakenly bought: amzn.to/3t8pZN6 (DID NOT FIT MY HEATER) -This is the heating element that fit my heater: amzn.to/3Lztjac
I have a RHEEM RETE-18. It is an outdated model that is not manufactured anymore. The internal part of the flow sensor on my unit had gotten so hot that it melted to the inlet screen. I put a link to your video in the description of my video to help people see the different types of problems you can have with this type of water heater, and how it is a repairable part. May I have you permission to link my video to yours? Or rather, put a link to my video here in this comment?
I think you are talking about the silver clip used to hold the flow sensor wheel in place, I just used a pick and removed it. Wasn’t too bad just hard to see
Alot of houses have a water pressure valve close to where the water line comes into the house. They are usually brass and about the size of a softball. On mine there are 2 nuts to turn if I turn it to the right the pressure goes up. But all the way to the right it drops down a little idk why. Thats how mine is anyway. Hope that helps you.
Assuming you have good pressure & flow on the cold side but no pressure on the hot side means something is blocking water flow in the unit. I’d pop the coils out and see if there is debris blocking water flow. The heating coils break down over time and corrode. Mine were secured from the top hexagonal nut. I just used two pipe wrenches just be careful not to round them over. Of course turn off the electrical first... 😅
I can’t even figure out how to get the cover off. I found blockage at the inlet to water heater and have cleaned it five times and it just keeps coming
@@Kgoutdoor my unit has 4 Phillips head screws holding cover-two on top and 2 on bottom near each corner. One thing that might help is trying to flush it with some distilled vinegar to break down the blockage
@@Kgoutdoor it depends how it’s plumbed-my plumbing has a check valve after the outlet of my hot water so it’s possible yours might. My unit also has normal garden hose style fittings where I can use them to connect a garden hose to flush it directly
I believe that’s a high limit error code which means that the water flow is too high. You should be able to test this theory simply by turning the ball valve on the inlet to half closed position and see if that eliminates the code.
@@LoganJohnson-cq7cr I got in contact with their customers service reps who said that code mean wrong voltage. So what I understood from that was two separate circuits with individual 240 lines but that still didn't solve my problem. Just returned the item. Hope that helps
You can try to flush the unit or pull the impeller out and clean it, if this doesn't work you'll want to test your Thermistors or the Heating elements for Ohms (6-10ohms). That is usually the cause of fluctuating temps. Poor flow sensor movement, thermistor or 1 element failed.
@@SmartPartsSolutions I am getting 265 K ohms on first element and getting 8 ohms on second while i am getting lots of rocks grayish, white and blk rocks in my filter....and not getting any heat in my water....do you think my Rheem 18k water heater is shot?
How does debris in the flow sensor preventing it from rotating relate to a wiring problem sir? They’re both hot and it’s working fine for 2 years now so not sure what you’re talking about.
